The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-22


howl when the exceeding richness of this
great property, the Consolidated Virginia.
was made patent to the world There were
los. 900 shares in the company, of which
the bonanza firm had control. This mine
paid 81 ,0S0, 900 per month in dividends for
months and months. Mackay was the con-
trolling force in the bonanza firm as he had
a two-ffths interest, while each of his part
ners had one-fifths They owned immense
tracts of timber in the Sierra Nevadas.
Twenty miles from Virginia City they
owned the water which was brought twenty
one miles in fiume from Lake Tahoe.
They were the principal stockholders in the
mills. In word, they ''owned the earth !"
so far as thispart of it and its interests were
concerned
OTHERS IN THE FIELD.
But there were others in the field, too.
The Bank of California owned the Ophir,
Savage, Yellow Jacket, Kentuck and some
other properties, and, in the guise of the
Union Mil and Mining Company, they
owned several mills, and Sharon was at
once their prophet and their profit. He
was agent of the Bank of California in this
town, and the annals of the Comstock may
be searched in vain for a more adroit, far
seeing, INSCRIPTIONS and determined ma
nipulator than this same incarnate produc-
ton of the Hoosier State. | have yet to
hear that he was ever over-reached in any
operation he went into. RalSton discovered
him, and with that keen insight which
marked the unfortunate Ralston recognized
Sharons peculiar fitness for the position of
agent of the bank at Virginia City. 1t re-
quired a man of Sharon's calibre to cope
with the other Comstock magnates and he
did it to perfection, and so well indeed that
he not only protected the interests of the
bank, but made handsome fortune for
IL
of self-defense to assist him in his aspirations
towards the United States Senate, and in
time became the leading authority in the
Bank of California and principal owner of
the Spring Valley Water Works of San
Francisco He came very near making a
fatal mistake once, and that was when he
wrote his name on piece of paper and
gave Sarah Althea Hill an opportunity to
write marriage certificate above it. That
was the one weak act of his career. And yet
he frequently used women as a means to an
end. When he desired a certain kind of in
formation to get on the street he told it to
some one of his numerous lady friends under
an injunction of profound secrecy o, he
knew them, did the willy Sharon. He has
scooped his competitors many a time and
oft by this same means. Finally there was
a consultation of the scooped and they
snapped information and the game was up
broke him up.
ITO think that any one would attempt to
take such base advantage of me-" he sor-
rowfully remarked to w. II. l.. Barnes, his
attorney. Then, when the trial was finally
ended, in victory for the ex-senator, he
made up his mind that it had been pretty
close call, and, everything considered, hadn't
he better shuttle out of this wicked world
And he shuffied, leaving a fortune of over
ctlO t5NI .. iNriln GNayR,nt,arn
child and heir, Lady Flora Hesketh.
JOHN p. JONES.
John P Jones is a man of different calibre
from the average mining man. He came to
the Comstock at an early day; got hold of
the Crown Point mine; made a large fortune
out of it; went TO the Senate, and cut some
thing of figure. Then he lost his fortune
in the Sierra Nevada deal of 10. One
morning. Just after the disastrous end, saw
him and Johnny Szae, who from a triple
millionaire had been reduced to a condition
$3.50 900 worse off than nothing That is,
he was in debt in that amount to the Nevada
Bank. 1t was o'clock in the morning
and they We're seated in box adjoining
mine in Bush street oyster saloon. Skae
was ''loadedn and the way he was cursing
the bonanza firm was a caution. Jones was
sober and he was trying to keep Skae quiet.
Since then Skae has become permanently
quiet and Jones is quietly gathering in a
fortune from his Alaska mining operations.
LUCKY BALDWIN.
Lucky" Baldwin is a very commonplace
person, indeed He wears good clothes, but
they never seem to fit him. He has very
red nose, which seems to fit him exactly.
He was formerly a Snowman. / think he
had or got together show in China, which
he brought to San Francisco. He got into
stool tioo and fba ref thing
the world knew he was on top. Having got
a fortune he did the Henry VIII. act by get
ting rid of his wife His attorney received
900 and shares of Ophir for his services
This stock was then worth in the market
$3.50 per share. Having rid himself of his
wife he was ready to do the town in the
most approved manner, and for some years
his life was the talk of the town. Butmany
of his deeds were pitifully despicable.
Finally he married a second wife. She
palled upon him in good time, and the next
thing we hear of is a separation and Lucky"
being shot by female relative, whose ruin
he was alleged to have accomplished. But
why go into further detailsl Baldwin is one
of the accidents made possible by the Com
stock. He owns a magnificent hotel and
opera house in San Francisco, lovely ranc h
in Southern California and has string of
running horses and plenty of coin. During
the coming summer he will be smiled upon
within precincts of the charmed circle of
more than one grand stand by charming
society girls, who see nothing but the
glamour of his possessions.
II say Jedge," as the tramp remarked
when he paid his fine Of $40 and costs for
vagrancy, money talks-eUery time"
OTHER PRODUCTS OF coMsToCK.
There are other products of the Comstock
still fourishing III their different spheres.
Some of them have gone through their for
tunes and are hanging around "Pauper
Alley" San Francisco, waiting for newer
bonanzas Many of them believe the Com
stock will have another season of prosperity.
Ii looks sometimes as if there were some
ground for hope that another ore deposit
would be found. Many of the shafts have
penetrated to q depth Of 5000 feet. But let
the ore he found and there would be no lack
of means to get it TO the surface. 1t seems
strange that man with Mackay's interests
outside the Comstock would give this almost
deserted camp any attention unless he had
substantial reasons for doing so. He is not
in need of money, so tar az anyone knows.
Not in need Of money! Did you ever know
man possessed of millions who was not in
need of millions morel They wanted to get
him into the Baltimore and Ohio deal.
Suppose he had "only fifteen or twenty
millions more" at his servicel All If he only
had. Then the Baltimore and Ohio and its
telegraph lines could have been taken into
camD And il the COmStock Would rive him